The Hands that Move the World

Graywall

Droaam Border City – Population: ~12,000
Built atop ancient goblin ruins, this town marks the border between Droaam and Breland. Teams of goblins and ogres work ceaselessly on wretched meals of grist to expand the town and its walls.

The mindflayer Xorchylic is the governor of Graywall, and it holds the power of life and death over the city’s inhabitants. Baron Kundran Torrn of House Tharashk has been granted the right to administer justice in the Calabas.

Districts

Bloodstone (Sorghun)

Bloodstone is the largest district, where most of the medium- and large-sized creatures of Graywall live (excepting foreigners, who mainly live in the Calabas). Many of the buildings in the district are made of red-coloured stone taken from the old goblin ruins.

Key Areas of Bloodstone

The Arena: the largest free-standing remnant of the stronghold of Korash Khaar, and the most popular source of entertainment. Its most beloved event is the Six Stones, held rarely but for a massive prize to the winner.

The Broken Sword: a tavern mainly serving ex-soldiers of the Five Nations.

The Skin Factory: an informal name given to a loose collection of slaughterhouses, butchers, and tanners on the edge of Bloodstone. Grist is served here, though because of high demand for any food that is not grist, many other meats are available here.

The Calabas (The Kennel)

With justice administered by House Tharashk instead of the Flayer Guard, the Calabas acts as Graywall’s foreign district. Humans, orcs, and half-orcs are the largest demographics here. The buildings are in a mishmash of styles borrowed from the Five Nations and in generally good shape. Monsters more frightening than orcs are rare here.

Key Areas of the Calabas

The Roar: the center of Calabas, a huge plaza with a statue of a roaring dragon in its center, the symbol of House Tharashk. At night, it hosts the Goblin Market, a strange bazaar edging on being a black market in its own right.

House Tharashk Enclave: a large, walled compound serving as the headquarters for House Tharashk in Graywall.

The Twilight Palace: a joint venture of House Phiarlan and House Ghallanda. A supremely luxurious hostel with exceptionally well-trained staff, ample entertainment catering to Five Nations natives, and enough House Kundarak security to rival the Karda itself.

Kundarak Vault: a small, heavily reinforced building shared by House Kundarak and House Sivis. It has a speaking stone and access to the Kundarak vault network to facilitate its clients banking.

House of the Nine: an inn, pub, and importantly, the only temple in all of Droaam dedicated specifically to the Sovereign Host. It is run by a human family from west Breland. Host Cord Perryn acts as its chaplain and perform services here.

Little Graywall (Sar Kurrath)

Home to Graywall’s goblins and kobolds, as well as a small number of gnomes and halfings, Little Graywall is indeed designed in its entirety for smaller creatures. Unlike in other districts, goblins and kobolds are emboldened by their independence and tribal comradery they find in Little Graywall.

Key Areas of Little Graywall

Tribal Warrens: every goblin and kobold tribe has its own building, acting as both a warehouse and barracks for that tribe. Symbols painted above the doors denote the tribe living within.

Black Bahiri’s: the only thing resembling an inn or tavern in Little Graywall, Black Bahiri’s provides the sole source of food besides Sar Kurrath’s grist factory. It is rumored to be a center for intrigue, and is frequented by many gnomes and halflings who make their home in the district.

The Karda (The Throne)

A ring of dense walls in the center of Graywall surrounds a dome that seems smooth and pitch-black, though on further inspection is actually very intricately engraved with writing in Deep Speech. Normally, it is swarming with Flayer Guard, though the only creatures that appear to truly make their home here are Xorchylic and his strange, silent bodyguards.

Key Areas of the Karda

The Keep: the unusual black dome which is the seat of Xorchylic’s power. It houses his hulking mute bodyguards, rumored to number about 50 in total. The interior is lit with a ubiquitous violet glow. Xorchylic spends much of his time in a study on the second floor of the dome.

The Last Tower: the courthouse of Graywall, where magistrates administer justice. It also acts as a prison and torture centre. By Droaamish law, incarceration is only for those awaiting transfer, execution, or the completion of an arena sentence. Most offenders are executed in the plaza outside the Last Tower, which is ringed by the petrified forms of those sentenced to face a medusa.

The Stone Pits

To the east of Graywall are the Stone Pits, deep and numerous quarries running into the stony ground. It is surrounded by a tent town made up of temporary workers and refugees hoping to join the ranks of those loyal to the Daughters of Sora Kell.

The Deep Door (Khyras)

The last entrance to the Dhakaani tunnels that run beneath the city, the ruins of the goblin stronghold of Korash Khaar. Rumours abound of what lie within, but it is known to a select few that a being called the Impure Prince is leading some sort of uprising from within its depths.